


Season of Secrets

by Tanista



Series: That Deep Romantic Chasm, or Journey to the Center of the Neath [8]
Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar, MacGyver (TV 1985), Sunless Sea
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Family, Gen, Hallowmas, Original Character(s), Secrets, Uncle-Niece Relationship, general Neathy weirdness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 12:43:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12531680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanista/pseuds/Tanista
Summary: During Hallowmas, no secret stays safe for long. Even for the Innocent Spy and Sensible Bookworm.





	Season of Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by an email conversation with deepandlovelydark. Happy Hallowmas!

Confessions are found everywhere in London at Hallowmas.

Even the most closemouthed individual feels a compulsion to reveal one of their deepest, darkest secrets during the holiday. In a city fallen underground where death is a trivial matter and vices are abundant, such things are often very dark and very deep indeed.

Scholars and Church clerics call it a liberating experience, when ordinary folk can cleanse their souls and seek absolution for the sins of the past. Revolutionaries tout the benefits when secrets of the rich and powerful are exposed, humbling themselves before the masses. For the Masters, every one is part of a story, to be collected in order to serve the Bazaar's ultimate purpose.

Yet no one speaks of the outcome when true confessions of one's nearest and dearest are unexpectedly revealed.

* * * *

The Innocent Spy strolls down Ladybones Road, in no particular hurry. Hallowmas is coming soon and he smiles faintly, recalling the first time he participated on the _Clipper_ , back when he sailed the Underzee and gathered information for Pete.

Earlier that day a gang broke into the Ivory Door of the Bazaar and stole confessions, their ruptured bags scattering the contents across the streets during their escape. The release has caused a frenzy all over the city as citizens collect them and the Constables make a futile attempt to prevent any harm from being done.

A shower of debris hits his trusty Iron Hat and he looks up, seeing the Urchins scrambling up and down the ways of the Flit. A little ragged girl passes above him, slips of paper escaping her grasp.

One floats down and the Spy automatically reaches to catch it.

The confession is written on a torn sheet used for composing music, in a distinct left-handed slant:

_A beautiful woman once seduced a close relative of mine. I became suspicious and did some investigating; soon I discovered she was actually an assassin hired to kill him. Because he was so much in love with her, I feared informing him might irreparably damage our relationship and therefore said nothing. Eventually he realized the truth and foiled her attempt, though not without incurring some damage, physically as well as emotionally._

_The close relative and I are always open and honest with each other, but this is one secret I've always kept from him._

With a start he recognizes the handwriting.

What are the odds, he wonders, that out of all the confessions to be found in Fallen London, he had to stumble upon his niece's?

Then the meaning of the words sink in.

It's an admission of cowardice. Of fear.

With a sense of dismay he understands the reason why.

* * * *

The Sensible Bookworm peruses the bookstalls of Blackfinger Street, searching for a volume the _Utriusque Cosmi_ would most likely get along with. It's a fascinating tome really, but very particular as to which neighbors can share its space on her bookshelves.

After purchasing a suitable publication she passes by the Ivory Door of the Bazaar. A squad of black-clad Special Constables have set up barricades, investigating the scene of the crime with their Patent Scrutinizers and interviewing witnesses.

Earlier in the day a gang conducted a daring break-in, getting away with all manner of written confessions. Now they're scattered to all corners of the city, for anyone to pick up and read.

Hallowmas is coming, according to the rumors. No secret is safe.

Apparently the holiday's like it is on the Surface, but instead of wearing masks and going trick-or-treating people instead use them to extract confessions from anyone.

A collective sort of anonymous purging, she decides.

A Working Rat passes by, paws overflowing with paper. One drops to the ground beside her; she bends to pick it up. She tries to get the rodent's attention, but he's already lost in the crowd.

She gives the paper- hastily torn from a notebook- a passing glance, eyes widening as she recognizes her uncle's handwriting:

_I once dated a woman who was beautiful, smart, clever, funny and incredibly sexy. She was a fellow player in the Great Game and we made a pretty good team. Then one night she suggested she'd be willing to take our relationship more seriously, but only if I sent my niece far away to a private boarding school so she could have me all to herself. I promised I'd think it over._

_That's not my confession, though. The real one is that I actually did spend the night thinking it over, instead of rejecting it then and there. _

_I wonder if my niece will ever forgive me if she finds out. I sure hope so._

Yeah, it's a confession all right.

An admission of...impropriety? Near temptation?

She honestly doesn't know what to make of it, but it does confirm a suspicion she's had for years about a certain woman in Mac's life.

* * * *

The atmosphere at their cottage is noticeably strained that night.

When the Innocent Spy and Sensible Bookworm return home with pieces of paper in hand and identical puzzled expressions, they both instinctively realize whose confession the other is holding.

It's a difficult subject to broach, and harder to acknowledge that despite the value they've always placed on honesty and openness they've still kept secrets from each other in the past.

After a tense dinner uncle and niece sit at opposite ends of the sofa and trade apprehensive glances. Several times they both begin to speak, then immediately retreat.

Finally it takes two cats- one Parabolan, the other Pink-Painted- to break the ice.

They stand in front of the hearth and glare at the humans. "You two have been on tenterhooks around each other all evening. What in Stone's name is going on?" Specchio demands.

"It's none of your business," the Spy grumbles. "This is between Becky and me."

"It involves things that happened before we came here," adds the Bookworm. "Stuff that's still kinda hard to discuss."

"Like what?" inquires the Pink-Painted Cat. "Surely you can tell us. Secrets are our specialty, remember. 'Tis the season for all sorts of juicy confessions."

The Spy jumps up and begins pacing. "You guys don't get it. It involves my personal life, and I'm not comfortable talking about it in front of just anyone."

The Bookworm glares at him. "Especially since you forgot to mention years ago that Maria didn't care for me, and wanted me gone before she'd become more serious with you. Did I really matter so little, that you actually considered sending me away in order to be with her?"

"Hey, that's not fair. What about you finding out that Deborah had been hired to get close so she could kill me, and then not bothering to tell me about it?"

"I was afraid of hurting your feelings, Unc!" She stands up to face him, blue eyes meeting brown in a ferocious glare. "You were so much in love with her I didn't think you'd believe me. But you nearly died because I didn't tell you and I feel awful about that. I guess I was afraid..." She pauses to swallow the lump forming in her throat. "Afraid you'd reject me in favor of her. As apparently you almost did when Maria asked."

"But I didn't, Becky- don't you see that? I finally realized I love you too much to just send you away like that. She was asking me to give up my family in favor of an uncertain future; the next morning I told her you're far too important to me, to be set aside so easily. That's when she left for good. I thought I'd spare your feelings by not telling you."

The Bookworm pulls back. "You mean this whole time we've kept these secrets because we were afraid of hurting each other?"

The Spy sighs, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Guess so."

For a while they stare at each other, then she tentatively reaches out a hand. "I feel like such a fool. Forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me first." He takes her hand, using it to pull her into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I really am. No more secrets, I promise."

"I'm sorry too, Uncle Mac," she murmurs as her arms close around him. "No more secrets."

He kisses the top of her head and they hold each other tight.

The cats share a triumphant look. Secrets are so much fun to share among their kind, and the ones provided by these two former Surface-dwellers are always entertaining.

No one speaks of what happens, but confessions between family members can be particularly cathartic at Hallowmas.

**Author's Note:**

> Deborah is from Season 3's "The Negotiator" and Season 4's "Unfinished Business." Maria is from Season 6's "The Wall" and "MacGyver's Women."


End file.
